1. The Leader’s Directive: Hormuz Control and an Endogenous Order
In a pivotal meeting with SNSC Secretary Major General Dr. Mohsen Rezaei, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei outlined the strategic trajectory of the Islamic Republic. The Leader reaffirmed the absolute necessity of firm management and control over the Strait of Hormuz, and issued a stern directive to decisively end the current destabilising state of “neither war nor peace” by fully meeting the conditions set by Iranian officials. Crucially, Dr. Rezaei reported on the success of a landmark quadrilateral security meeting in Tehran between Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia—proving that US intimidation has failed and paving the way for an “endogenous regional order” entirely free from foreign interference.
2. The 26th Knesset: Settlers Vote Amid Division and Intimidation
Voting commenced today for the Zionist entity’s 26th Knesset elections, the first since the Al-Aqsa Flood operation shattered the myth of regime invincibility. 7.33 million eligible settlers are choosing between a neck-and-neck Benjamin Netanyahu and centrist challenger Gadi Eisenkot, with the campaign dominated by the October 7 security failure and the Gaza genocide. The electoral process is marred by characteristic aggression: reports indicate the deliberate presence of armed settlers near ballot boxes in Palestinian areas as a tactic of intimidation, while thousands protested Netanyahu in Tel Aviv just hours before polls opened.
3. Washington in Turmoil: Democrats Weaponise the Epstein Cover-Up
With the November 3 midterms eight days away, House Judiciary Democrats have formally demanded a special counsel to investigate President Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. In a blistering 53-page report, Democrats accuse the DOJ and FBI of a systemic cover-up, noting that five women have directly accused Trump of rape or sexual assault in Epstein’s presence. The opposition is targeting Attorney General Todd Blanche—Trump’s former personal defence attorney—accusing him of acting as the president’s “personal shield.” Democrats have funnelled over $35 million into attack ads focusing on the scandal. Meanwhile, the US envoy has demanded the UN dismiss the Special Rapporteur exposing the Zionist genocide in Palestine.
4. Azerbaijan’s Hijab Ban: Qom Warns of Zionist Influence
The clerical backlash against Baku’s hijab ban continues. Abdul-Hussein Hosrovpanah, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, warned that the policy reflects Zionist regime influence and compared the crackdown to the atrocities of Reza Shah Pahlavi, predicting similar consequences for the Aliyev regime. He emphasised that Islamic countries are “obliged to react” and that fulfilling this duty is a necessity.
5. Hegseth Humiliated, Bolsonaro Flees, and France Burns
In a viral exchange, US Senator Tammy Duckworth told War Secretary Pete Hegseth to “do a little homework” after he failed to name ASEAN member states. In Brazil, Flávio Bolsonaro missed a court deadline to surrender his passports and may have fled to Argentina amid a money laundering probe. And in France, brutal police tactics against protesting students sparked outrage, with social media users noting: “When you see the brutality France is inflicting on its own people, you can only imagine how horrific it was in colonial Africa.”
Also on the wire
Sudan: 21 killed and 40 wounded in an airstrike on Nyala, capital of South Darfur.
Turkey: A tornado struck Antalya, killing 4 construction workers and damaging a crane.
UN Security Council: Russia’s envoy cautioned Western countries against politicising Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, warning it could “pave the way for renewed aggression.”